Modern Stitching Bee Quilt: FINISHED

Why is it bee quilts are always my favorites?  Is it because each of my friends contributed a bit of happiness?  Is it because I can see their personalities in each block?  I think so!  The ladies in this bee are so very special to me, so this quilt was bound to be a hit!  

This quilt started in November of 2012 when I was queen bee and requested a scrappy Depression block.  My bee mates were quick to send in beautiful blocks, but I had set them aside for months and months. It was only when I was preparing for the Fat Quarterly Retreat in July 2013 that I realized I could assemble the top and hand it off to Emily for quilting (you can see her work bit better in this post).  Done!

 

 

The back is Kona Peacock pieced with signature blocks from some of my bee mates.  I wish I made other siggy blocks for those who were not able to send in their own...just to have the complete group included.  Live and learn.

 

  

 I then finished it off with a dotty pink binding from Simply Style and popped it into the wash and held my breath.  Thank goodness the Color Catchers did their job because the white top stayed nice and crisp.  After a day or two on the line and a tumble dry, this quilt is now in use each and every evening.  

Ladies, thank you.  I think it's absolutely wonderful.

Quilt Stats

Name: Unknown - Modern Stitching Bee Quilt for now.

Made for: Me to use while watching TV curled up on the couch.

Fabric: Scraps and white fabric from bee mates, Kona Peacock on the back and binding by Simply Style.

Thread: Pieced with Aurifil.

Batting: 100% Simply Cotton.

Size: Approximately 60x60 inches.

Quilting: Quilted by Emily using an infinity loop.

Pattern: Depression block using this tutorial.

Modern Stitching Bee: Quilted

It is with great excitement that I show you my new gorgeously quilted Modern Stitching Bee quilt!  It was recently quilted by Emily on her wonderful frame and I am absolutely thrilled with the results!  Look!  Look!

Photo by Emily

As Emily's frame is new to her, she is offering a basting service to anyone who doesn't fancy loosing their dignity and crawling all over the floor to baste a quilt.  Although she is not taking quilts from the general public for quilting quite yet, she's happy to take quilts from folks who are willing to let her learn/grow in her quilting skills.  Now I know Emily is phenomenal, so I was more than happy to give her my quilty baby.

Photo by Emily

The Modern Stitching Bee was incredibly important to me as I had such great bloggy friends included in the hive.  I loved each and every month we had together for the laughs and the quilty inspiration.  I was Miss November and chose a Depression  Block for the ladies to make.  I was a bit slow contributing my own blocks...still making them in January after the hive blocks arrived!  I needed to add a few extra to bring it up to size.  Since winter, it's been a finished top hanging over the shop door waiting to be layered and quilted.

Photo by Emily

But when making my Q2 and Q3 FAL goal lists, including the goal to finish this quilt (!!!), I realized both Emily and I would be the Fat Quarterly retreat in London.  I thought it would be a great opportunity for us to do a quilty hand off.  I happily gave her the finished top, batting and back (with signature blocks) and we chatted with Leanne to decide how it should be quilted.  We eventually decided on an infinity loop.  I wanted something bubbly to counterbalance the edges of the HSTs, but I didn't want it to be over quilted so that it would remain soft.  The infinity loop is perfect.  Before handing it off to Emily, we took a hive photo at the retreat.  How fun to get nearly half of the hive together!  The folks below are from the UK, Canada, Ireland and the US.  Amazing.

Photo by Leanne and Laura Jane
Susan, me, Leanne, Emily, Nicky and Di

Anyway, Emily has just finished it off and sent it over to Galway in the post.  Today it arrived and I am bubbling with excitement at the real deal in front of me.  I just need to get a binding on this old friend and we'll call it finished.  I am so excited to put it to use watching movies this winter.  Emily, it's gorgeous.  Thank you!!!

 I have just realized I need a name for this quilt.  Any suggestions?  

Modern Stitching Blocks: May

You read that right.  May.  I am that far behind in finishing these blocks for Susan.  But life-stuff took over the past spring and sewing had to fall behind.  I am slowly returning to my sewing-self and happily picked this up as my first project upon my return.

Using a tute written by Susan herself, I made these two blocks:

Susan was looking for blocks in aqua, grey, lime, lemon or pink with fussy cut centers.  I generally don't have the type of fabrics that are fussy cut-able, so I really had to dig for two cute ones.  I went with a little nesting bird in aqua with lemon tone on tone triangles.

And then a little boy-ish navy/blue camera by Riley Blake with pink HSTs with little retro flowers in white.

I do think they're going to look good with the other bee blocks I see in the flickr group.  I can't wait to see this top pieced together!

;

Modern Stitching Bee Blocks: July

During the month of July in the Modern Stitching Bee, Miss Nicky gets her moment to shine.  She's been thinking hard about what block to ask for and she choose an absolute winner!  Our bee has the option of either choosing an online tutorial for hive mates to follow or using the Modern Blocks book.  Nicky choose the Arrowhead block from the book, but put her own twist on it so that she could make massive hexagons for her quilt top.

We were each challenged with making half a hexagon, about 29 x 13 inches large, that will be a rainbow star on a grey background.  Nicky will then combine our blocks to make gigantic hexie blocks for her quilt.

Stolen from Nicky's Flickr photostream.

We were asked to choose three shades of three colors to make three triangles.  We were then to coordinate these with solids and frame out the hexie with different shades of grey, be it printed or solid.  We were to use tone on tone prints, but I couldn't always adhere given the fabrics I had in house.  I tried my best, Nicky.

When I first saw Nicky's photos, I was convinced these were EPP blocks.  But no.  Fully machined with a sneaky Y seam in the patchwork triangles.

I would 100% suggest that folks who have the book should try this block out. It came together very quickly and has great impact. 

Nicky, I can't wait to deliver these to you in person at the Fat Quarterly Retreat.  I already have them packed up and ready to travel!

Modern Stitching Bee Blocks: May

This month in the Modern Stitching Bee, Miss Rhonda (our fearless organizer) asked for two different bee blocks.  They are both from the Modern Blocks book that we use as a guide, so you can easily find the patterns here.

First up is Diamond Ripples made from scrappy bits on a white background.  Honest, it is a white background.  The photos do not do it justice.  There are lots and lots of HSTs in this block, so it is a perfect choice for a bee block.  I would hate to square an entire quilt of these little guys on my own, but I am quite happy doing a block-worth for a bee buddy.  I truly enjoyed stitching this one together, Rhonda.

Second in line was the Checkers block, again with scraps and a white background.  In the center of the block, Rhonda asked that we each insert something (be it by appliqué  embroidery, cross stitch...what ever) that is personal to each of us bee buddies.  I, of course, choose to create the Fluffy Sheep logo through embroidery.  I loved doing the backstitch and French knots, but boy satin stitch is not entirely my friend.  That took some effort.  Thank goodness I had time to kill flying to/from Copenhagen this week.  It was a perfect travel buddy.

Rhonda, I hope you like them!  I really enjoyed taking the time to make them.  I even listened to your latest podcast while finishing off the little sheep!  It was like you were here with me each step of the way.

Spidy Senses Are Tingling

The wonderful Sarah has been plotting for months...waiting for her turn in our Modern Stitching Bee.  We had a few hints of what was rolling around in her mind, just teasing us.  Finally April arrived and she unveiled her super awesome tutorial to make Spiders Web blocks.  Her tutorial is very easy to follow and brings you through step by step drawing the pattern and piecing.  I, however, am not incredibly good at drawing patterns.  I tried my best, Sarah!  

It's a great block for burning through your scraps.  It uses scraps of all shapes and sizes, which is awfully handy.  

I couldn't find a piece of paper wide enough to make the 13 1/4 inch template, so for the first one I had to use gift wrapping paper.  That really worked pretty well.  By the second I found this:

And that was much much better.  They'll be off in the post to you today, Miss Sarah.

I started up with Instagram this past week using Sarah's blocks as a little tester project.  If you'd like to follow me there, I am @fluffysheepquilting.  You'll get a sneak peek of anything passing by the shop or sewing table days (weeks!?!?) before you see it here on the blog.

On another note, last week was a very difficult week for my family.  Everything is now just fine, but it was an awful roller coaster to get to this point.  Thank you so very much to many of you for your well wishes, prayers, good vibes, emails, texts, etc.  Knowing my quilty friends were supporting us made a huge huge difference.  Thank you. I am so lucky to have you all. xx

Finish Along Q2 Goals

And we start off a new quarter with high hopes.  Here's what I would like to finish between now and June:

1. Rainbow Charm Swap
With 56 lovely ladies waiting, I aim to pack up and deliver an extra large charm pack to each one of them.  That means cutting nearly 3,000 charms and packing up over 6,000!  I have lots of yardage cut, so I just need to get down to business.

2. Pezzy Pizazz
The top is finished, she's layered and the quilted has begun!  I just have to finish the final 2/3 of the quilting and bind this cutie.

3. Tote
I have half of a tote made using this tutorial.  You see, it was to be a replacement Mouthy Stitches tote, but it was no longer needed.  I have the lining made using Summersville (with a little pocket) so I just have to make the exterior (out of Echino) and pop on two handles.  Easy peasy you'd think, but it's been sitting around my sewing room for months and needs to be finished off.

4. Liberty Love
Again, the top is done.  I even have most of the backing fabric here at home.  I need to do a little piecing, layer it and quilt like mad.  I was thinking of quilting it like this, then binding it in Liberty.  That's the plan at least.

5. Modern Stitching Bee
I have the most gorgeous bee blocks piled up here in my sewing space.  I so love them.  It's time to start assembling the top and get this pretty finished off.

6. Knitted Cap
I have a knitted cap made of the most beautiful home spun yarn, sent to me by Judy.  This cap is 95% finished.  I just have another little bit of knitting to do to finish the crown.  If only you guys could feel this...it's so soft, fuzzy and warm.  Gorgeous.  I can't wait to break it out next winter.

7. Knitted Purse
I have a green knitted purse that has been an on and off project for me since Christmas.  I have both handles done and one side.  The second side is 1/2 finished.  I just have to finish that last side and assemble.  I love this project.  I'm not sure why it's taking me so long to finish it.

8. Dorky Science Cross Stitch.
For those of you who may not know me well, I'm a total science dork.  When I saw this cross stitch pattern, who could resist?  I am about half way finished. It is not a masterpiece, but it makes me happy.  I can't wait to finish and hang it above my work desk.  Wouldn't that be hilarious?

I think those are the major UFOs that I can plan to finish in the next three months.  I had better get stitching!

Leanne, thanks again for hosting.  You know I love a good to-do list :)

Fly, Little Geese, Fly!

This month in the Modern Stitching Bee, the lovely Di is our queenie.  She is looking for any flying geese-based block using this color scheme with a grey background:

Now, I have to say I kind of panicked when I saw that Di wanted flying geese.  The geese and I generally have not been great friends.  I generally end up clipping a wing or two in the process of making a geese-centric block.  I have avoided them for the last 18 months or so.  But here we are...it's time to suck it up and give it a go.

I first thought paper piecing might help me keep my geese in a row.  I printed out a little template and made this block using Kona Coal as the background with bits of Mama Said Sew and Metro Living circles in marigold.  I was at first going to make one massively long, skinny block, but Sarah beat me to that.  I thought the old traditional square block might look just as good.  I'm quite pleased with it in all honesty.

I quickly bored of paper piecing and just went with a classic Dutchman's Puzzle block for the second block.  In the end, it was much easier than I remembered flying geese being! I think I have just become a more accurate sewer, enabling me to keep all of those points.  I used the same prints in this block, but instead used Kona Ash to let me get the Coal in as the forth color for the geese.

Honestly, the blues look more teal in real life...they're a bit washed out here.  Don't fret, Di!

I hope these suit your quilt, Di.  I am so interested to see how these blocks will look together.  It's such an interesting idea!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

On  another note:

As you may have noticed, there have been problems with the shop website. I am so sorry for any problems you have experienced and I am trying to fix it. However, I need your help. You see, the website is working just fine for me...while it seems to be malfunctioning for many of you. If you have a problem, please email me (fluffysheepquilting(at)gmail(dot)com) and send on the date/time when you experienced the error and the error message you received. With the help of each of you, we can hopefully have this fixed in no time.

While we wait, if you need any item shipped out to you, just send me a note and I'm more than happy to pack it right up for you.

Again, I'm so sorry for the inconvenience!

Modern Stitching Bee: February Blocks

This month in the Modern Stitching Bee the lovely Miss Susan asked for churn dash blocks.  Perfect!  They're fun to make and will be a gorgeous quilt.  Susan wanted aqua, blue or purple blocks.  I don't understand why, but these colors are not always abundant in my stash.  I always love them.  Still, I found pretty prints to make one aqua block...

and one blue...

I found a purple too, but that eager beaver Sarah already made a block using it!  Overachiever :)  Susan, they'll be in the post this weekend. I hope you like them!

Modern Stitching Bee Blocks: January

Just because I was completely delinquent in making my November blocks for the Modern Stitching Bee, please don't think I'd treat Jennie as poorly.  Of course her blocks are made on time!

Jennie choose a pattern from the Modern Blocks book, the Quatrefoil .  I must say I was not at all inspired when I saw the block she choose.  It was filled with dull, brownish-mustard colored prints.  Blah.  Still, I was in bee block making-mode so I started cutting.  Once I made this block in "my kind of fabric" I totally fell in love with it!  Have a look:

I love them!  This pattern was so very easy to follow.  She is going to have a beautiful quilt when they're all together.  Great choice in blocks, Jennie!

Modern Stitching Bee: November Blocks

That's right.  You read that correctly.  I am THAT far behind in my Modern Stitching blocks, which is so very not me.  I was Miss November in our Modern Stitching bee.  I asked my bee buddies to make two Depression Block using this tute.  I wanted super scrappy, bright fabrics on a white background.  My hive mates have been sending their blocks my way and they are just spectacular, but I still had not made my blocks...until now.  Shame.  Shame on me.

What was absolutely super is that when Leanne sent her blocks, she included 16 extra HSTs that didn't suit her blocks (according to her...I think they're beautiful!), so I was able to mix hers in with mine to make 3 blocks.  Super!  Thanks so much, Leanne.  Thank you too, bee buddies, for your blocks.  This is going to be so pretty when it's finished!

Modern Stitching Bee: November

I was the lucky Miss November in the Modern Stitching Bee.  I am so in love with this bee as the folks involved are incredibly talented and inspired...and great fun :)  I had asked for a Depression block using Kona white and scrappy bits according to this tutorial.

I have four sets of gorgeous blocks back.  Want to see?

Eeee!!!  It's going to be so pretty!  Thank you, Diane, Emily, Sarah and Susan.  You guys are brightening my sewing room!  This quilt will be first on my 2013 FAL list.

PS - sorry again for the stinky night time indoor photo.  Honest the weather will get better in a few months.  Just stick with me!

Modern Stitching Bee: October

This month the amazingly talented Emily is our bee mama in the Modern Stitching Bee.  She asked for two scrappy wonky stars, but in reverse.  The star should be white and the background made of scrappy bits.  Gosh I love this block.

I wish I was as smart as her in coming up with this idea.  I nearly want to steal it for my month, but folks might notice seeing as I have November and all...

Emily, I loved making these.  You completely brightened my day.  I hope you like them too!

Modern Stitching Bee: September Block

Chrissy, at Sew Lux, is our bee mama this month in the Modern Stitching Bee.  She has requested the Four Acres block from the Modern Block book.  It was a great choice as you get a big bang with very little effort...kind of like a D9P block.

Chrissy asked for one block on a white background with pink, aqua and orange piecing and a central brown cross.  She requested either tone on tone prints or colored fabric with a white pattern and specifically mentioned she has a soft spot for polka dots.  It was an interesting challenge, but much to my surprise I could find pieces to suit her request in my stash.  What luck!

For the second block we were free to choose any colors we wanted so long as we stuck to the tone one tone or polka dot theme.  I really like the Echo aqua in here and the green polka doted prints.  They make me happy.  For some reason my brain was stuck on the brown central cross from the last block.  Even though Chrissy gave us freedom, I just never shifted in my brain to choose another color for the middle.  Stinker.

In the end, Chrissy seems happy and they appear to fit well with the other blocks in the flickr group.  I hope she can use them...they will be out in the post shortly!

The Grannies Keep Coming!

This month in our Modern Stitching Bee, the wonderful Miss Leanne is our bee mama.  Leanne asked for two scrappy, brightly colored granny squares using this tutorial.  What fun! 

I still have to make a little siggy block, Leanne, then these will be in the post to you.  I am SO in love with the blocks my fellow hive buddies are making.  Have a peek over in flickr if you have not seen them pop up in blog land.  Isn’t this going to be one wonderful quilt?